The cinema of moral anxiety, pl, Kino moralnego niepokoju, was a short-lived (1976-1981) but influential movement in the history of the

cinema of Poland The history of cinema in Poland is almost as long as the history of cinematography, and it has universally recognized achievements, even though Polish films tend to be less commercially available than films from several other European nations. Af ...

. The term was also translated as "cinema of moral unrest", "cinema of moral concern", "cinema of moral dissent".

Marek Haltof Marek Haltof (Józef Marek Haltof, born 1957 in Cieszyn, Poland,) is a professor ( dr.hab.) of film studies. specializing in the cultural histories of Polish and Australian film. He studied at the University of Silesia ( Uniwersytet Śląski) in P ...

, ''The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieslowski: Variations on Destiny and Chance"
Preface
/ref> Films of this movement portrayed the crisis of the regime in

Communist Poland The Polish People's Republic ( pl, Polska Rzeczpospolita Ludowa, PRL) was a country in Central Europe that existed from 1947 to 1989 as the predecessor of the modern Republic of Poland. With a population of approximately 37.9 million nea ...

, usually in the setting of a provincial town. The development of the movement was abruptly stopped by the introduction of the martial law in Poland in 1981, and when it was lifted, the country was overwhelmed with powerful political and social processes which had eventually led to the fall of Communism in the country and disappearance of the addressed social issues. In addition, suggested the term "kino autentyzmu etosu" (cinema of ethos authenticity), while Mariola Jankun-Dopartowa suggested "kino nieufności" (Cinema of Distrust).

Style

The style of the film may be demonstrated by one of the closing scenes of the film ''

Camera Buff ''Camera Buff'' ( pl, Amator, meaning "amateur") is a 1979 Polish drama film written and directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski and starring Jerzy Stuhr. The film is about a humble factory worker whose newfound hobby, amateur film, becomes an obsession ...

'' by

Krzysztof Kieślowski Krzysztof Kieślowski (; 27 June 1941 – 13 March 1996) was a Polish film director and screenwriter. He is known internationally for ''Dekalog'' (1989), ''The Double Life of Veronique'' (1991), and the ''Three Colours'' trilogy (1993 –1994) ...

: a single-take panogamic shot from nice facades of a row of houses to an alleyway, to dilapidated rear sides of the houses.Daniel Bickley, "THE CINEMA OF MORAL DISSENT: A Report from the Gdańsk Film Festival", Films of this kind did not have much drama, political machinations, or corruption. The problems of the regime were often exposed by showing stagnant lives of average people, with their struggles to earn the means for living in minimal comfort. In these films personal interests conflict with the stifling social and political environment.Dina Iordanova , ''Cinema of the Other Europe. The Industry and Artistry of East Central European Film'', section "Cinema of Moral Concern"

Film directors and films

Piotr Andrejew Piotr Andrejew (27 October 1947 – 12 June 2017) was a Polish film director and screenwriter sometimes credited as Piotr Andreyev or Piotr Andreev. Andrejew was born 27 October 1947 in Szczecin, Poland. His films include features ''Theft '' (197 ...

Filip Bajon Filip Michał Bajon (born 25 August 1947) is a Polish film director and screenwriter. Selected filmography References External links * 1947 births Living people Film people from Poznań Polish film directors Polish screenwriters ...

Feliks Falk Feliks Falk ps. ''Robert F. Lane'', ''Edward Neyman'' (born 25 February 1941) is a Polish film and theater director as well as writer of film scripts, stage plays, television plays, and radio shows. A 1966 graduate of Warsaw's Academy of Fine Art ...

Agnieszka Holland Agnieszka Holland (born 28 November 1948) is a Poles, Polish film and television director and screenwriter, best known for her political contributions to Polish cinema. She began her career as assistant to directors Krzysztof Zanussi and Andrzej ...

**''

Provincial Actors ''Provincial Actors'' ( pl, Aktorzy prowincjonalni) is a 1979 Polish drama film directed by Agnieszka Holland. It is her feature-length directorial debut. Plot The film depicts Slawomir Szczepan (played by Tomasz Zygadlo), a young theater direc ...

'' *

** 1976: ''

The Scar (1976 film) ''The Scar'' ( pl, Blizna) is a 1976 Polish film written and directed by Krzysztof Kieślowski and starring Franciszek Pieczka. Filmed on location in Olechów, Poland, the film is about a man put in charge of the construction of a large chemical ...

'' ** 1977: '' From a Night Porter's Point of View'', documentary ** 1979: ''

'' ** 1980: '' The Calm''"O Kinie Moralnego Niepokoju w 25. rocznicę śmierci Krzysztofa Kieślowskiego"
/ref> * Janusz Kijowski * *

Barbara Sass Barbara Sass-Zdort (14 October 1936 – 2 April 2015) was a Polish screenwriter and film/stage director. In 1975, she graduated from the National Film School in Łódź. She was married to the cinematographer Wiesław Zdort. Mother of famous Polish ...

Andrzej Wajda Andrzej Witold Wajda (; 6 March 1926 – 9 October 2016) was a Polish film and theatre director. Recipient of an Honorary Oscar, the Palme d'Or, as well as Honorary Golden Lion and Honorary Golden Bear Awards, he was a prominent member of the ...

**1977: ''

Man of Marble ''Man of Marble'' ( pl, Człowiek z marmuru) is a 1977 Polish film directed by Andrzej Wajda. It chronicles the fall from grace of a fictional heroic Polish bricklayer, Mateusz Birkut (played by Jerzy Radziwiłowicz), who became the Stakhanovite s ...

'' **1978: ''

Without Anesthesia ''Without Anesthesia'' (alternative English title: ''Rough Treatment'') is the English-language title for the Polish film ''Bez znieczulenia'', released in 1978, directed by Andrzej Wajda. It was entered in the 1979 Cannes Film Festival. According ...

'' **1980: ''

The Orchestra Conductor ''The Orchestra Conductor'' ( pl, Dyrygent, and also known as ''The Conductor'') is a 1980 Polish drama film directed by Andrzej Wajda. It was entered into the 30th Berlin International Film Festival, where Andrzej Seweryn won the Silver Bear fo ...

'' *

Krzysztof Zanussi Krzysztof Pius Zanussi (born 17 June 1939) is a Polish film and theatre director, producer and screenwriter. He is a professor of European film at the European Graduate School in Saas-Fee, Switzerland where he conducts a summer workshop. He is ...

**1977: ''

Camouflage Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the ...

'' **1980: ''

The Constant Factor ''The Constant Factor'' ( pl, Constans) is a 1980 Polish film directed by Krzysztof Zanussi. It tells the story of a young man struggling to face the death of his mother and harbouring a desire to climb the Himalayas as his father had done. The f ...

'' *

Janusz Zaorski Janusz Zaorski (born 19 September 1947) is a Polish film director, scenarist and actor, representative of the cinema of moral anxiety ( pl, kino moralnego niepokoju), trend in Polish cinema. Zaorski has directed mainly psychological dramas, comed ...

Tomasz Zygadło Tomasz Zygadło (23 December 1947 – 17 September 2011) was a Polish film director. He directed 26 films between 1967 and 1997. His 1980 film '' The Moth'' was entered into the 12th Moscow International Film Festival The 12th Moscow Int ...

**1980: ''

The Moth The Moth is a non-profit group based in New York City dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. Founded in 1997, the organization presents a wide range of theme-based storytelling events across the United States and abroad, often featuring ...

References

{{reflist

Style

Film directors and films

See also

References

Further reading